Test your wine knowledge with quiz questions from our expert.
What is the most cultivated grape variety in Italy's Friuli Venezia Giulia wine region?
Pinot Grigio
Italy's Friuli Venezia Giulia is famous for its still white wines, which account for the vast majority (over 85%) of its production. While several grape varieties are cultivated there (at least 26, including Ribolla Gialla, Friulano, Malvasia Istriana, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Bianco), the dominant grape variety is Pinot Grigio.
While Oregon is a leader of certified Biodynamic farming for wine grapes, and accounted for nearly 5% of the wines in Wine Spectator Magazine’s Top 100 list in 2019, it's production is tiny on the global scale. Oregon accounts for just 0.15% of wine production worldwide.
What relatively new New York state wine grape is a a cross of Riesling and Cayuga White grape varieties?
Aravelle
Over forty years in development, Aravelle is a new wine grape developed by Professor Bruce Reisch and a team at Cornell University AgriTech in Geneva, NT. Aravelle is a cross of Riesling and Cayuga White, and is not as susceptible to mold and rot as Riesling (making it promising for use on the US East Coast).
True or False: France's Vouvray appellation is notable for its use of just one single grape variety?
True
In France's Vouvray appellation, a single grape variety is used for its AOC wines: Chenin Blanc. Situated along the Loire River in the Touraine district, Vouvray utilizes the versatile Chenin Blanc to craft dry, semi-dry, and sweet white wines, as well as sparkling wines. Over the past decade, Vouvray’s US imports have increased in value by 25%, making the appellation a bright spot among Loire Valley exports.
True or False: Italy's Collio wine region is nearly surrounded by rivers,sea, and mountains?
True
Italy's Collio wine region, which was officially recognized in 1968, enjoys a unique geographical position that favors wine grape plantings. Collio sits between the Isonzo river, the Judrio river (between Slovenia and Italy), the Adriatic Sea, and the crown of the Julian Alps.
What does the Italian term "barbatella" refer to with respect to winegrowing?
Vine cutting
In Italy, small vine plants that have undergone vine cutting are sometimes referred to as "barbatella," because when the cut end begins to develop roots they look like a short beard (or "barba" in Italian).
Which of the following is NOT a sub-AVA of Califronia's Lodi wine region?
Fountaingrove District
California's Lodi has seven sub-AVAs, approved in 2005. They include Cosumnes River, Alta Mesa, Sloughhouse, Borden Ranch, Jahant, Mokelumne River, and Clements Hills. Fountaingrove District is a sub-AVA at the eastern edge of Sonoma County.
What is the name given to the large steel tanks used in the production of Prosecco?
Autoclaves
Prosecco is made using the Italian method of sparkling wine creation, which involves the use of large, sealed pressure tanks called autoclaves. Base wine is pumped into the autoclaves along with with sugar and yeasts, creating a secondary fermentation that captures the bubbles while preserving the fruity, floral aromas of the grape itself.
In what year was California's Santa Lucia Highlands AVA established?
1991
Established as an AVA in 1991, California's Santa Lucia Highlands is described as "small but mighty." The first commercial plantings in the area were in 1973, and as of 2021 SLH sported just shy of 50 vineyards, planted at various altitudes from 50 feet all the way up to 1,600+ feet above sea level.
True or False: Portugal has one of the highest number of ingidenous wine grape varities of any country?
True
Though relatively small in size, Portugal is one of the most diverse wine-producing countries on Earth. Not only does Portugal produce a large number of styles of wine (from sparkling to fortified to still wines), but it also boasts one of the highest numbers of indigenous vitis vinifera, with over 250 such varieties being native to the country.
